Bearing arrangement for air compressor

ABSTRACT

An air compressor includes a cylinder housing, a piston slidably received in the cylinder housing, a gear member rotatably attached to a supporting plate with a pivot shaft, an eccentric member attached to the gear member and having an eccentric pin coupled to the piston rod, a motor attached to the supporting plate and having a pinion engaged with the gear member, the supporting plate includes a space for engaging with a bearing member, and includes an engaging element, and the bearing member includes another engaging element for engaging with the engaging element of the supporting plate and for anchoring the bearing member to the supporting plate and for preventing the bearing member from being rotated relative to the supporting base.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air compressor, and more particularly to an air compressor having a bearing device or mechanism or arrangement solidly and stably attached or mounted or secured to the air compressor for preventing the bearing device or mechanism or arrangement from idling and for preventing the bearing device or mechanism or arrangement from being disengaged from the air compressor inadvertently after use.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical air compressors comprise a cylinder housing attached or secured to a base panel or support and having a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder housing, and a motor secured to the base panel or support and coupled to the piston of the cylinder housing with a gearing device or mechanism for actuating or driving the piston of the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action, in order to generate a pressurized air of a greater air pressure and a decreased flowing quantity and for supplying the pressurized air to inflate various air facilities, such as tires, air beds, air cushions, hovercrafts, etc.

The cylinder housing normally includes a bearing device or mechanism or arrangement attached or mounted or secured to the base panel or support and engaged with the gearing device or mechanism for allowing the gearing device or mechanism to be smoothly rotated relative to the base panel or support.

The applicant has developed various kinds of typical air compressors, including at least U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,112 to Chou, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,077 to Chou each also comprising a piston slidably disposed within a cylinder housing, a spring valve having one end secured to the piston and having the other end for selectively blocking an air aperture of the piston, in order to control the air to flow through the piston, and a motor attached or mounted or secured to the base panel or support and coupled to the piston of the cylinder housing with a gearing device or mechanism for actuating or driving or forcing the piston of the cylinder housing to move in the reciprocating action relative to the cylinder housing, and a bearing device or mechanism or arrangement attached or mounted or secured to the base panel or support and engaged with the gearing device or mechanism for allowing the gearing device or mechanism to be smoothly rotated relative to the base panel or support.

However, the bearing member is normally force-fitted and engaged in a circular opening or recess of the base panel or support, and the bearing member may be idled and rotated relative to the base panel or support after use; i.e., the bearing member may freely rotated relative to the base panel or support after a term of use such that the gearing device or mechanism may not be solidly and stably anchored to and supported on the base panel or support with the bearing member, and may have a vibration or shock and noise generated by the gearing device or mechanism and the bearing member.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional structures for the air compressors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an air compressor including a bearing device or mechanism or arrangement solidly and stably attached or mounted or secured to the air compressor for preventing the bearing device or mechanism or arrangement from idling and for preventing the bearing device or mechanism or arrangement from being disengaged from the air compressor inadvertently after use.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an air compressor comprising a supporting plate, a cylinder housing including a chamber formed therein, an outlet receptacle provided on the cylinder housing and including a compartment formed therein, and including a partition provided between the cylinder housing and the outlet receptacle, and including an air passage formed in the partition and communicative with the chamber of the cylinder housing for receiving a pressurized air from the chamber of the cylinder housing, and communicative with the compartment of the outlet receptacle, a piston slidably received in the chamber of the cylinder housing and having a piston rod extended therefrom, a gear member rotatably attached to the supporting plate with a pivot shaft, an eccentric member attached to the gear member and including an eccentric pin extended therefrom and coupled to the piston rod of the piston in order to actuate the piston relative to the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action. a motor attached to the supporting plate and including a pinion engaged with the gear member for allowing the gear member to be rotated by the motor with the pinion, and for moving the piston relative to the cylinder housing in the reciprocating action in order to generate a pressurized air and for allowing the pressurized air to be supplied from the chamber of the cylinder housing to the compartment of the outlet receptacle, wherein, the supporting plate includes a space formed therein for rotatably engaging with a bearing member, and includes a first engaging element, and the bearing member includes a second engaging element for engaging with the first engaging element and for anchoring the bearing member to the supporting plate and for preventing the bearing member from being rotated relative to the supporting base.

The supporting plate includes an inner peripheral surface and a side wall for forming the space of the supporting plate. The side wall includes an opening formed therein for pivotally engaging with the pivot shaft of the gear member.

The first engaging element is a projection extended in the space of the supporting plate, and the second engaging element is an engaging notch formed in the bearing member for engaging with the projection. The projection of the first engaging element and the engaging notch of the second engaging element include a rectangular shape.

Alternatively, the first engaging element may also be an engaging notch formed in the supporting plate, and the second engaging element may also be a projection extended from the bearing member for engaging with the engaging notch of the supporting plate.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air compressor in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the air compressor, similar to FIG. 1, in which a portion of the housing has been cut off for showing the inner structure of the air compressor;

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the air compressor;

FIG. 4 is another partial exploded view of the air compressor;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan schematic view of the air compressor;

FIG. 6 is another partial plan schematic view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the other arrangement of the air compressor; and

FIG. 7 is a further partial plan schematic view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6, illustrating the further arrangement of the air compressor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, an air compressor in accordance with the present invention comprises a supporting base 10 including a supporting plate 11 and a cylinder housing 20 provided on or extended from the supporting plate 11 and preferably, but not necessarily formed integral with the supporting plate 11, for example, the supporting plate 11 and the cylinder housing 20 may be formed integral with each other, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, with the molding or mold-injection processes, for example, or alternatively, the cylinder housing 20 may include one or more projections (not shown) extended therefrom and engaged with corresponding hubs or tubular members (not shown) of the supporting plate 11 for detachably attaching or mounting or securing the cylinder housing 20 to the supporting plate 11.

The cylinder housing 20 includes a chamber 21 formed therein and formed or defined by an inner peripheral surface for slidably receiving or engaging with a piston 30 therein, the piston 30 is slidable in a reciprocating action in the chamber 21 of the cylinder housing 20 for generating pressurized air and includes an extension or piston rod 31 extended therefrom. A gear member 32 is rotatably attached to the lower portion of the supporting plate 11 with a bearing member 33 and a pivot shaft 34 and/or a fastener 39, and an eccentric member 35 attached or secured to the gear member 32 with such as fasteners and/or the pivot shaft 34 or with the molding or mold-injection processes and may thus be rotated in concert with the gear member 32, and includes a crank or eccentric pin 36 extended therefrom and coupled to the piston rod 31 of the piston 30 in order to actuate or to move the piston 30 relative to the cylinder housing 20 in reciprocating actions.

A motor 50 may be attached or secured to the upper portion of the supporting plate 11 with such as latches or fasteners 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2), and includes a spindle 51 extended through the supporting plate 11 (FIG. 2), and includes a pinion 52 secured to the spindle 51 thereof and engaged or meshed with the gear member 32 (FIG. 1) for allowing the gear member 32 to be rotated or driven by the motor 50 with the pinion 30, and thus for allowing the piston 30 to be actuated or moved relative to the cylinder housing 20 in reciprocating actions by the eccentric member 35 and the eccentric pin 36. A fan device 53 may further be provided and coupled to the motor 50 for being rotated or driven by the motor 50 to generate circulating or ventilating air and for dissipating the heat that may be generated by the motor 50.

The cylinder housing 20 includes an outlet tube or receptacle 40 extended upwardly or outwardly from the top thereof and having a compartment 41 formed therein (FIG. 2) and communicative with the chamber 21 of the cylinder housing 20 for receiving the pressurized air from the chamber 21 of the cylinder housing 20. For example, the cylinder housing 20 includes an upper wall or partition 22 formed or provided between the cylinder housing 20 and the outlet receptacle 40 and includes an air passage 23 formed in the partition 22 for allowing the pressurized air to be supplied from the chamber 21 of the cylinder housing 20 to the compartment 41 of the outlet receptacle 40. The outlet receptacle 40 further includes one or more ducts 42, 43, 44 extended outwardly therefrom and communicative with the compartment 41 of the outlet receptacle 40, for receiving the pressurized air from the compartment 41 of the outlet receptacle 40.

The ducts 42, 43, 44 may be coupled to various kinds of facilities that require pressurized air supplied thereto. For example, a relief valve 45 may be provided and attached to one of the ducts 42 for relieving the pressurized air when the air pressure within the cylinder housing 20 and/or the outlet receptacle 40 is over a predetermined pressure, and thus cylinder housing 20 and/or the outlet receptacle 40 from being over-pressurized and damaged. A pressure gauge 46 may be provided and attached to the other duct 43 for detecting and showing the air pressure within the cylinder housing 20 and/or the outlet receptacle 40. A nozzle (not shown) may be provided and attached to another duct 44 with a hose 47 for allowing the pressurized air to be supplied from the chamber 21 of the cylinder housing 20 and the compartment 41 of the outlet receptacle 40 to various pneumatic facilities that require pressurized air supplied thereto, with the nozzle. A further relief valve or safety valve (not shown) or the like may further be provided and attached to the other duct (not shown) for relieving the pressurized air when the air pressure within the cylinder housing 20 and the outlet receptacle 40 is over a predetermined value.

It is to be noted that the provision or the extension of the ducts 42, 43, 44 from the outlet receptacle 40 allows the relief valve 45 and the pressure gauge 46 and the nozzle to be easily and readily attached to or coupled to the outlet receptacle 40 with the ducts 42, 43, 44, without additional or specialized coupling members or tools. One or more lids (not shown) may further be provided and attached or secured to either of the ducts 42, 43, 44 with such as a threading engagement, for selectively enclosing or blocking the ducts 42, 43, 44, when the ducts 42, 43, 44 are not required to be used, or when the relief valve 45 and the pressure gauge 46 and the nozzle are not attached or secured to the ducts 42, 43, 44. The above-described structure or configuration for the air compressor is typical and is not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 1, the piston 30 may be actuated or moved relative to the cylinder housing 20 in reciprocating actions by the motor 50 with the pinion 52, the gear member 32, the eccentric member 35 and the eccentric pin 36, in order to generate a pressurized air, and to allow the pressurized air to flow into the outlet receptacle 40, and then to flow out through either or all of the ducts 42, 43, 44, and thus to allow the air pressure within the cylinder housing 20 and/or the outlet receptacle 40 to be detected and shown by the pressure gauge 46, and to allow the pressurized air to be supplied into the facilities that require pressurized air supplied thereto, with the nozzle, and/or to allow the pressurized air to be relieved via the relief valve 45 when the cylinder housing 20 and/or the outlet receptacle 40 is over-pressurized.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5, the supporting base 10 includes a chamber or compartment or space 14 formed therein, and formed or defined by an inner peripheral surface 15 and a side wall 16, in which the side wall 16 includes an opening 17 formed therein for pivotally or rotatably receiving or engaging with the pivot shaft 34 of the gear member 32, and the bearing member 33 may be solidly and stably anchored or secured or retained in the space 14 of the supporting base 10 with the side wall 16, the pivot shaft 34 of the gear member 32 is attached or mounted or secured or engaged with or coupled to the bearing member 33. For further solidly and stably anchoring or securing or retaining the bearing member 33 in the space 14 of the supporting base 10, the supporting base 10 further includes a first engaging element 18, such as a key or anchoring member or projection 18 formed or provided in the supporting base 10 and formed or extended or provided in the space 14 of the supporting base 10.

The bearing member 33 includes a second engaging element 37, such as an engaging recess or notch 37 formed in the outer peripheral portion thereof for engaging with the key or anchoring member or projection or first engaging element 18 of the supporting base 10 and for solidly and stably anchoring or securing or retaining the bearing member 33 to the supporting base 10 and for preventing the bearing device or mechanism or arrangement from idling or from being freely rotated relative to the supporting base 10, and thus for preventing the bearing member 33 from being disengaged from the supporting base 10 of the air compressor inadvertently after use.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the key or anchoring member or projection or first engaging element 180 of the supporting plate 110 of the supporting base 10 may include a rectangular shape that is different from that shown in FIGS. 3-5, for engaging with the corresponding rectangular engaging recess or notch or second engaging element 370 of the bearing member 330, and for solidly and stably anchoring or securing or retaining the bearing member 330 to the supporting plate 110 of the supporting base 10 and for preventing the bearing member 330 from idling or from being freely rotated relative to the supporting plate 110 of the supporting base 10, and thus for preventing the bearing member 330 from being disengaged from the supporting plate 110 of the supporting base 10 of the air compressor inadvertently after use.

Further alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the supporting plate 111 of the supporting base 10 may include a first engaging element 181, such as an engaging recess or notch 181, and particularly a rectangular engaging recess or notch 181 formed therein, and the bearing member 331 may include a second engaging element 371, such as a key or anchoring member or projection 371, and particularly a rectangular key or anchoring member or projection 371 formed or provided on, or extended from the bearing member 331 for engaging with the corresponding rectangular engaging recess or notch or first engaging element 181, and for solidly and stably anchoring or securing or retaining the bearing member 331 to the supporting plate 111 of the supporting base 10 and for preventing the bearing member 331 from idling or from being freely rotated relative to the supporting plate 111 of the supporting base 10, and thus for preventing the bearing member 331 from being disengaged from the supporting plate 111 of the supporting base 10 of the air compressor inadvertently after use.

Accordingly, the air compressor in accordance with the present invention includes a bearing device or mechanism or arrangement solidly and stably attached or mounted or secured to the air compressor for preventing the bearing device or mechanism or arrangement from idling and for preventing the bearing device or mechanism or arrangement from being disengaged from the air compressor inadvertently after use.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. An air compressor comprising: a supporting plate, a cylinder housing including a chamber formed therein, an outlet receptacle provided on said cylinder housing and including a compartment formed therein, and including a partition provided between said cylinder housing and said outlet receptacle, and including an air passage formed in said partition and communicative with said chamber of said cylinder housing for receiving a pressurized air from said chamber of said cylinder housing, and communicative with said compartment of said outlet receptacle, a piston slidably received in said chamber of said cylinder housing and having a piston rod extended therefrom, a gear member rotatably attached to said supporting plate with a pivot shaft, an eccentric member attached to said gear member and including an eccentric pin extended therefrom and coupled to said piston rod of said piston in order to actuate said piston relative to said cylinder housing in a reciprocating action, a motor attached to said supporting plate and including a pinion engaged with said gear member for allowing said gear member to be rotated by said motor with said pinion, and for moving said piston relative to said cylinder housing in the reciprocating action in order to generate a pressurized air and for allowing the pressurized air to be supplied from said chamber of said cylinder housing to said compartment of said outlet receptacle, wherein, said supporting plate includes a space formed therein for rotatably engaging with a bearing member, and includes a first engaging element, and said bearing member includes a second engaging element for engaging with said first engaging element and for anchoring said bearing member to said supporting plate and for preventing said bearing member from being rotated relative to said supporting base.
 2. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting plate includes an inner peripheral surface and a side wall for forming said space of said supporting plate.
 3. The air compressor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said side wall includes an opening formed therein for pivotally engaging with said pivot shaft of said gear member.
 4. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first engaging element is a projection extended in said space of said supporting plate, and said second engaging element is an engaging notch formed in said bearing member for engaging with said projection.
 5. The air compressor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said projection of said first engaging element and said engaging notch of said second engaging element include a rectangular shape.
 6. The air compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first engaging element is an engaging notch formed in said supporting plate, and said second engaging element is a projection extended from said bearing member. 